Posters, placards, packaging and promotional flyers are commonplace media for presenting and communicating information to the public. The printed content is generally short-lived since the media is periodically updated, replaced, or disposed of in order to promote new goods, services or information. Such media goes stale reasonably quickly. These media are generally visual forms of communication, although they may sometimes be augmented with audio devices that play pre-recorded messages.
It is a challenge to create an effective process for linking a person to some information that he or she desires, or that some other person believes that they should receive, when under various pressures typical of modern society. Visual presentations and advertisements portray very little information because they are typically viewed for only several seconds. Language independence is desirable so that the person can interpret the information in his or her native language. Allowance should be made for lack of time, and for disabilities such as in eyesight, hearing and/or in motor skills.
Earlier kiosk-type active presentations include public transport timetables that present indicia over an area upon a sign at a public transport stop, where a user can get relevant information by pressing a selected button in accordance with displayed information. The present time of day and day of the week is often included in the information. Touch screen kiosks, which combine a computer and a touch-screen monitor, provide both visual and audible information to the public. They are able to convey considerably more information than a static image and generally capture the user's interest for longer. The main drawback of this technology is the high cost of the equipment and lengthy development time for the software, plus the necessity to protect the system from physical or environmental damage. All these factors limit the applications and locations where touch screen kiosks can be utilised.
A UK firm, Quantum Research Group, (1 Mitchell Point, Ensign Way, Hamble, Southampton SO31 4RF United Kingdom) has developed and markets a family of charge transfer integrated circuits called QMatrix controllers. These controllers sequentially scan an array of two-part electrodes, pumping charge across the electrodes, and measuring variations in the amount of charge received back. Significant variations in the amount of charge are registered as proximity detections. One of the QMatrix controllers used in the present invention is the “QT60486 transverse charge-transfer integrated circuit—a self-contained digital controller capable of detecting near proximity or touch on up to 48 two-part electrodes”. This specification imports the following data sheets available, among others, from the company web site, www.qprox.com. at 16 Aug. 2005, by way of reference.
1. QT60486—801.pdf re. QT60486 48-key Qmatrix IC. Prepared May 2005.
2. QMATRIX_DESIGN_RULES.pdf re Quantum Research Application Note AN-KD01 QMatrix Panel Design Guidelines.
3. Electrode design for Charge Transfer Sensing (by Hal Phillipp)
The QT60486 device serves 32 or 48 keys in an X-Y scanned matrix method, is self-calibrating, designed to be resistant to interference and spurious results, has electrostatic damage (ESD) protection, and delivers an output encoded in the RS-232 or the SPI communications format. A capacitance change of a few picofarads at conductive electrodes can be detected by the chip, corresponding to movement of a hand or finger some centimeters away from a connected conductive surface. The primary market for the Quantum range of QMatrix integrated circuits is for keypads, appliances and portable instruments. (This chip is described by way of example. The manufacturers may have or may develop alternatives and other manufacturers may offer second-source components or different capacitative proximity sensors. The present application is not to be read as being limited or linked in any way to the currently preferred manufacturer, device or range).